Exploring Landforms

Lesson Overview

Year Level: Year 1
Lesson Number: 4 of 15 in Exploring Our World
Duration: 40 minutes
Class Size: 20 students
Curriculum Area: Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS) – Geography
Australian Curriculum Reference: ACHASSK031 – The natural, managed and constructed features of places, their location, and how they change

Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

• Identify and name different landforms (mountains, rivers, valleys).
• Describe basic characteristics of each landform.
• Recognise how landforms impact people and animals.
• Engage in hands-on activities to reinforce learning.

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Materials Needed

• Large images of different landforms (mountains, rivers, valleys)
• Small tubs of kinetic sand or playdough for modelling
• Blue cellophane strips for representing rivers
• Toy animals or figurines (e.g., kangaroos, ducks, wombats)
• Flashcards with landform names
• A large Australian landscape poster

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Lesson Structure

1. Warm-up Discussion (5 minutes)

Teaching strategy: Whole-class discussion
Activity:

• Show students a large image of an Australian landscape containing multiple landforms (e.g., a scene with mountains, rivers, and valleys).
• Ask: “What do you see in this picture? What do you think these landforms are called?”
• Write down student responses on the board.
• Briefly introduce the three landforms they will be focusing on today: mountains, rivers, and valleys.

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2. Landform Exploration (10 minutes)

Teaching strategy: Interactive demonstration
Activity:

• Show large images of each landform one at a time.
• Describe each one using simple language:
  • Mountains – “These are tall and pointy! You might see snow on top.”
  • Rivers – “This is water that moves through the land, like a road for fish!”
  • Valleys – “These are the low areas between mountains or hills. Sometimes rivers run through them.”
• Relate to known places in Australia:
  • Mountains: The Blue Mountains
  • Rivers: The Murray River
  • Valleys: The Hunter Valley
• Ask students to repeat the names after you.

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3. Hands-On Landform Modelling (15 minutes)

Teaching strategy: Small group activity
Activity:

• Divide students into small groups and provide each group with kinetic sand or playdough.
• Give them a challenge: “Can you create a mountain, a river, and a valley using the materials?”
• Provide blue cellophane strips to represent rivers.
• Allow students to place toy animals in appropriate areas (e.g., fish in the river, kangaroos on the mountain slopes).
• Circulate to engage with groups, asking questions like “Why did you put your river here?” or “Where do you think animals would live?”

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4. Landform Sorting Game (5 minutes)

Teaching strategy: Active participation
Activity:

• Mix up flashcards with landform names and images.
• Ask students to come up one at a time, pick a card, and match it with another student who has the corresponding image or name.
• Encourage students to say the name and describe the landform as they match them.

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5. Conclusion and Reflection (5 minutes)

Teaching strategy: Whole-class reflection
Activity:

• Gather students in a circle and ask:
  • “What was your favourite landform today? Why?”
  • “Where have you seen mountains, rivers, or valleys before?”
• Reinforce learning by summarising key takeaways:
  • Mountains are tall, rivers move water, valleys are low spaces between land!
• Provide a challenge for home: “Look for a landform when you're outside – tell us about it next lesson!”

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Assessment

• Observation: Monitor student participation during discussions and modelling.
• Questioning: Ask individual students to describe landforms and their features.
• Sorting game: Assess if students can correctly identify and match landforms.

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Differentiation Strategies

• Support: Pair struggling students with peers during group activities. Use gesture-based cues for students needing extra guidance.
• Extension: Encourage early finishers to describe how landforms change over time (e.g., erosion of mountains, movement of rivers).

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Teacher Reflection

• Were students engaged with the hands-on activity?
• Did students struggle with distinguishing landforms?
• What adjustments could be made for next time?

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This lesson plan integrates interactive, visual, and kinaesthetic learning to make landforms exciting for young learners. It aligns with the Australian Curriculum while ensuring engagement through hands-on exploration.